BUFFY. She walks down the sidewalk. Clearly on a mission. She reaches
an intersection and stops. Checks the name of the cross street. Then pulls
out a piece of paper and a pen.

ANGLE: THE PIECE OF PAPER.

It's a list of addresses titled "NEWLY RENTED." All but one of them
crossed out. Buffy takes her pen and crosses it out. She puts the paper
away and walks down the cross street.

INT. TRIO'S LAIR - NIGHT

CLOSE ON: A SURVEILLANCE MONITOR - Buffy on it. Walking down the street
toward camera.

WIDEN TO REVEAL: It's one of several monitors at the trio's
surveillance bay.

PAN to see JONATHAN, sitting at the monitors, passed out. After a
moment, the MUZZLE of a weapon appears in frame and moves in close to his
head. Then, without warning, he's BLASTED in the face with WATER.

Jonathan wakes and jumps out of his chair with a start, sputtering and
coughing as

ANDREW and WARREN laugh, the latter standing over him with a
SUPERSOAKER. Andrew sits nearby, eating cold left-over pizza out of the
box. In fact, there are empty pizza boxes piled up all around.

ANDREW(to Jonathan) Oh, man. Your face was priceless.
"Bwaaah!"

JONATHANReal funny!

WARREN(chuckling)Think we're all in agreement with that.
Serves you right for taking Z's on lookout again.

Jonathan gets up, wiping himself off, still in shock.

JONATHANWhatta you expect? Haven't had a decent night's
since...(beat)I mean, I'm going Jack Torrence in here, you
know. Stuck in this basement for weeks. We rented the whole house,
can't we at least sleep upstairs?

ANDREW(Jesus F. Christ!)We're on the lam. We have to lay
low. Underground.

JONATHANThat's figurative, doofus. Did you even read Legion
of Doom?

WARRENOkay, enough, Midgetor. Get back to the monitors. Last
thing we need is to be surprised by--

ANDREW(noticing)Holy Geez Louise!

ANGLE: Buffy on the monitors. Getting close.

WARREN(seeing her) The frickin' Slayer!

JONATHANThat's... She's right outside!

WARRENDon't panic. Andrew, deploy your little friend.

Andrew smirks evily, then raises a small nose flute to his nostrils and
blows.

EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET - NIGHT

Buffy comes upon the address she was looking for. The house empty and
dark. She peaks through the window.

EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT

Buffy walks toward the back of the house, then stops. She hears a
coarse hiss.

Then a NASTY-LOOKING DEMON steps out of the dark before her.

BUFFYOh. Hi.

They circle. The thing's big and muscly. Red eyes and translucent white
flesh that looks like melted wax. It eyes Buffy like a rabid beast.

BUFFY (cont'd)Um, you didn't by any chance just eat a
bunch of nerds, did you?

And it's fisticuffs time. The demon swings, fast and heavy. Buffy
ducks, deals it kicks and fists, working it back down the alley for a
moment when

WHAM-BAM-POW!! The demon sends her back. She crashes hard. Shakes her
head and gets up for more. She runs up a wall two steps, pushes off and
slams the demon with a twirling kick.

It falls and she's on it. She grabs a trashcan and starts banging its
head. The demon shreds it and knocks her back.

ANGLE: THE DEMON'S KNUCKLES.

SHNK!! A long, needle-like stinger springs out, dripping.

Buffy comes at it. They spar evenly, until the demon spins her, grabs
her and BURIES ITS STINGER INTO HER UPPER ARM. Buffy struggles, trying to
shake herself out of its embrace. She flails, desperate, aggressive,
then...

FLASH CUT TO:

INT. ASYLUM - CELL - NIGHT

Buffy is up on her feet in a tiny room, an institutional cot next to
her. She wears a white clinic gown and flails away just like in the alley.
A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE STUCK IN HER ARM. TWO ORDERLIES trying to restrain
her.

Buffy rears her head back. Eyes open, eyeballs back. She's much like
the Buffy we know, except for THE DARK RINGS UNDER THE EYES, THE PALE
SKIN, AND THE GREASY, FLAT HAIR FALLING OVER HER FACE IN STRANDS.

ORDERLY (cont'd) She's gonna break that needle!!

And then she comes-to. Blinking hard. Gasping. Eyes darting everywhere.

ORDERLY (cont'd) Strap her down!!

She takes heed of the orderlies. The stark room. Where is she? She
pushes back against the wall. Freaked. Confused.

BLACK OUT.

END OF TEASER

Act One

EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT

Buffy is on her feet, staggering backwards and fetching up against the
alley wall. The demon is gone. Buffy, stunned and dizzy, rubs her upper
arm. Everything hurts. And what the hell happened there for a sec? Where'd
she go?

INT. CAMPUS - ATRIUM - DAY

WILLOW waits by the entrance to a classroom. She paces nervously.
Checks her watch, then clears her throat and rehearses a conversation.

WILLOWHi, um... Tara. How are you? I was wondering... do
you want to go out sometime? For coffee? Or food? Or kisses and
gay love?

She deflates, ready to give up, but people start pouring out of the
class. She bucks up. Moves away from the door to get better vantage.
Looking for

TARA. She comes through the doors among other students.

Immediately a nervous smile lights up Willow's face.

But then she sees Tara is with a friend. A girl. And they're laughing
it up. Willow backs away. Her face suddenly full of confusion.

Tara and her friend stop about twenty feet out. Some more laughing. A
little touching. And then they kiss.

From where Willow stands, it looks like it could be on the lips. And it
breaks her heart. She watches for a beat, then goes.

Tara and her friend part ways. Tara catching Willow retreating out of
the corner of her eye. It surprises her.

She thinks to call out, but then hesitates. Realizing how her
interaction just now might've looked.

Willow rounds the bend and disappears.

INT. DOUBLEMEAT PALACE - KITCHEN - DAY

Buffy is on french fries duty. Spacing out on the sizzle and fizzle of
grease cooking potatoes. The hubbub of the restaurant adding to the dull
and droning moment.

A beat. Then she turns and is transfixed by her zombie-like co-workers
moving back and forth. She starts walking through.

HER MANAGER, LORRAINE sees her and calls out.

LORRAINEBuffy? Buffy...

FLASH CUT TO:

INT. ASYLUM - HALL - DAY

Like at the end of the teaser. Buffy in a white gown again. This time
she comes-to walking through

A hall FULL OF MENTAL PATIENTS. Also in white gowns.

She jerks, vacillating with confusion. Then starts panicking. Her
breathing gets erratic. A NURSE calls out from where the manager stood a
second ago. Approaching.

NURSEC'mon. Time for your--

FLASH CUT TO:

INT. DOUBLEMEAT PALACE - KITCHEN - DAY

LORRAINE-- drugs.

Buffy is back from another split-second lapse. She catches her breath,
absorbing her surroundings.

BUFFYWhat?

LORRAINEI said, if I didn't know betterI'd think you were on
drugs.

Buffy blinks at her, tries to put it all together.

BUFFYOkay. Sounds good.

Lorraine registers that, then, resigned:

LORRAINEHere's the funny part. You're still the best of
'em.

And she walks away. Buffy takes a moment, then walks back to her
station. Her fries burning.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

Buffy walks down the stairs in a new outfit. She joins Willow in the
dining room at her computer.

BUFFYI could wrestle naked in grease for a living and
still be cleanerthan after a shift at theDoublemeat.

WILLOWPlus, I'd visit you at work every single day.

BUFFY(smiles)So, what'you doing?

She walks over to Willow.

WILLOWI was online. Checking to see if Xander e-mailed.

BUFFY(smile gone)Oh. Any luck?

WILLOWNo such. I mean, I get the deal:that special
I-left-a-girl-at-the altar feeling -- I'm sure he needs some
alone-time. But, still...

BUFFYMaybe Anya found him, and they're working it
out...(then, realizing)Hey, how come you're all about home and
hearth and DSL? Ithought you were gonna go see Tara.

WILLOW(tightly)Saw her. Saw her completely.

BUFFYOw. I got a little scratch from all the brittle.

WILLOWIt's, when I was seeing her, shewas seeing someone else.
A girl

BUFFYWhat? You mean...

Willow is quick to clarify.

WILLOWNot seeing seeing a girl, well, maybe. I
don't know. It was inconclusive, and I didn't stick around to find
Out. Might've magicked my fist through a wall or something.

BUFFYOh, Will. I'm so sorry.

A beat. Willow could cry, but she tries to be light instead.

WILLOWThey're prob'ly just friends. I press my lips
against my friends all the time.

BUFFYI'm sure they're just friends. When someone falls for
Willow, they stay fallen.

Willow smiles. A nice moment.

WILLOWThanks, Buff.

SFX: DING DONG.

Buffy gets up. Walks over to open. It's XANDER. Looking haggard.

XANDERHi.(an awkward beat) I'm back.

Buffy smiles, relieved and happy, then wraps him in a hug.

WILLOW (O.S.)Xander?

She comes around the door.

WILLOWXander! You're here!

More hugging. Long and heartfelt. Buffy closes the door and they walk
to the living room.

WILLOW (cont'd) Where were you? We were worried.

Xander sits on the couch. The girls sit around him.

XANDERI know. I tried calling. But I couldn't talk
without..

He chokes up.

BUFFYAre you okay?

Xander nods. Far from it. An awkward moment goes by as he gathers
courage.

XANDERI'm sorry. For disappearing. For walking out like
that.

BUFFYYou don't need to apologize to us.

XANDERRight. Is she here?

WILLOWOh. No. You want to find her?

XANDERI need to. Her suitcase was gone, some of her stuff. The
Magic Box has a 'closed' sign, which, like, chills me to the
bone--

WILLOWShe left a couple days ago.

BUFFYWe thought maybe you guys'd find each other.

XANDERWas she looking for me? Before she left, did she say
anything?

WILLOWYou mean between the sobs? (off his bleak look)There
was mostly just wheezing.

BUFFYShe was kinda, she got a little broken.

Xander gets up, walks a little, unable to keep still.

XANDEROh, God... I didn't mean... I don't know how this
got so mixed up. I blew it.

BUFFYNo. Well... there were probably better times to break up
with her--

XANDERNo! I mean, it wasn't about breaking up. I love her. And
god, I miss her so much. Driving out of town, I kept turning to
ask her if it was gonna be okay, and each time... she wasn't
there.

WILLOWSo, you left her at the altar but... you still want...?

BUFFYYou still want to date?

XANDERI guess. I know my life is better with her in it. It got
all complicated with the wedding. With my family, and her...
demons And what if it all goes to hell? And forever. But then I
left, andever since, it's been like there's this painful hole
inside... and I'm the idiot that dug it out.

Willow squeezes his hand, ready to cry with him.

XANDER (cont'd) I screwed up real bad.

BUFFYHey, we all screw up. And who knows, sometimes life gives
us what we need anyway.

TIME CUT:

EXT. CEMETERY NIGHT

SPIKE walks home carrying a paper grocery bag. He pauses at a bench,
sets down the bag to light a cigarette. Buffy, patrolling, nearly runs
into him.

SPIKELooking for me?

BUFFYReally not.

SPIKEOh. Right then, off you go...

She keeps moving. Spike looks after her.

SPIKE (cont'd) Didja cry?

Buffy stops, looks back at him.

BUFFYWhat?

SPIKEThe wedding. Two hearts united for eternity, great
peltingshowers of rice and so forth.

He breaks the spell. Buffy freaks out again. She darts her eyes around
and sees

HANKSweetheart. We've missed you so much. Honey? Can you
hear me?

Buffy's heart skips a beat. The sight of her parents, together, her
innocence lost. But then she shakes her head. She knows there's something
wrong. It just can't be real.

JOYCEBuffy? Stay with us, plea--

FLASH CUT TO:

EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT

The bag lands on the ground, glass breaking inside. Willow squeals as
Spike goes down from Xander's blow to the face. Buffy is rubbing her head,
her eyes unfocused. It's a second after we left them in Act 1.

Buffy stumbles against a tree. Wracked by her lapse.

BUFFYNo...

She looks around in a panic. Recovering her surroundings.

BUFFY (cont'd)Willow...

Xander is waiting for Spike to get up, fists ready for more. Willow
turns back and sees Buffy.

WILLOWBuffy? Are you okay?

She reaches out and grabs her, keeping her from falling. Xander turns,
rushes over to help. Buffy can't talk. Still dizzy. Spent from her
hallucination.

XANDERWhat happened?

WILLOWI don't know.

Spike rushes to her side, concerned.

SPIKEHere. Let's get her into my crypt.

XANDERSpike, just -- go. She's our friend, we'll take care of
her.

BUFFY(weakly, disoriented) I'm -- I'm... fine.

WILLOWC'mon, Xander. Help me get her home.

Xander and Willow lead Buffy away, ignoring Spike. He looks after them,
partly concerned, partly pissed to the core.

SPIKE(calling after them)Put a little ice on the back of
her neck.(softly, to himself) She likes that.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Willow comes out of the kitchen with a glass of water filled with ice
cubes.

BUFFYI've been having these... flashes. Hallucinations, I
guess.

WILLOWSince when?

Willow hands the glass to Buffy who sits in a chair, still in her pj's.
Buffy takes a sip. Soft spoken - still piecing it together. Willow sits
next to DAWN and Xander on the couch. Bedding evident from him sleeping
over on the couch.

BUFFYNight before last. I was checking houses on the list
you put together, looking for Warren andhis pals. Then bam. Some
kind of gross, waxy demon thing poked me.

DAWNWax like icky ear stuff?

BUFFYMore like a melted candle.

XANDERAnd when you say poke --

BUFFYIn the arm.(rubbing the wound) It stung me or
something, and then it was like I --(thinks better of it)No.
Not like. I was in an institution.

WILLOW(hopefully)For higher learning?

BUFFYI didn't know what it was at first. But then it happened a
couple more times. There were doctors, nurses, other
patients...

She's amazed and confused even recounting it.

BUFFY (cont'd)They told me I was sick. Crazy,I guess. And
that Sunnydale And... all of this. None of it was real. Just part
of some delusion in my head.

XANDERCome on! That's ridiculous! What, you think this isn't
real just 'cause of all the vampires and the demons and the
ex-Vengeance demons and the sisterthat used to be a ball of
universe-destroying energy?

He stops. Hearing what he's saying There's a beat of confused silence.
Heck, he's the only normal Joe in the bunch.

XANDER (cont'd) Well, I'm real.

Dawn smiles sweetly, cuddling close to him.

DAWNAnd the former ball of energy's glad you're
back.

Xander gives her an affectionate squeeze.

BUFFYI know how it sounds. But it allfelt so... real.

WILLOWDid it hurt? The, uh, hallucination?

BUFFYNo, it...(a beat, to Dawn)Mom was there.

DAWNShe was?

BUFFYAnd dad too. They were together.Like they used to be.
BeforeSunnydale...

There's silence as the others understand the emotional impact that
must've had on Buffy. Willow spring up, trying to break the mood.

Buffy sits in a chair. Turning her head to look at the doctor currently
droning on like Willow. Buffy blinks, not comprehending. She's totally out
of it. Joyce and Hank sit next to her, listening intently to the doctor.

DOCTOR...possibilities for a full recovery. But we have to
proceed cautiously. If we're not careful --

JOYCEWait. There's a chance Buffy might be like she was before
all this happened?

DOCTOR(gently)Mrs. Summers, you have to understand the
severity of what's happened to your daughter. For the last six
years, she's been in an undifferentiated type of schizophrenia --

HANK(snapping)We know what her condition is. That's not
what we're asking.

The doctor hesitates.

DOCTORThere's a lot about schizophrenia that we still
don't understand.

JOYCEWhat do you understand?

DOCTORBuffy's delusion is multi layered. She believes she's
some type of hero --

JOYCEThe Slayer.

DOCTORThe Slayer, right. But that's only one level. She's also
created an intricate lattice workto support her primary
delusion.In her mind, she's the central figure in a fantastic
world beyond imagination. She's surrounded herself with friends -
- most with their own super powers -- who are as real to her as
you or me. More so, unfortunately. Together theyface overblown,
grand conflicts against an assortment of monsters, both imaginary
and rooted in actual myth. Every time we think we're getting
through to her, more fanciful enemies magically appear and she - -

For the first time Buffy's daze subsides.

BUFFY(confused but urgent)Enemies... Warren... Jonathan...
They did this to me...

Buffy starts to stagger up.

JOYCEBuffy --

The doctor gently eases Buffy back in her chair. Buffy's eyes dart
around, confused and frightened, drifting in and out.

DOCTORShh. It's all right. They can'thurt you here. You're
with your family.

BUFFYDawn?...

HANKThat's the sister, right?

DOCTOR(nods)The magical "key". Buffy inserted Dawn into her
delusion, actually rewriting the entire history of it to
accommodate her need for a familial bond.(to Buffy)But that
created inconsistencies, didn't it?

Buffy looks at him, her eyes coming in and out of focus.

DOCTOR (cont'd) Your sister. Your friends. All the people
you created in Sunnydale. They're not as comforting as they were,
are they? They're coming apart.

Buffy moans, tries to look away.

JOYCE(soothing)Buffy. Listen to the doctor. What he's
saying is important.

Buffy's still out of it, but is becoming agitated, more confused.

DOCTORBuffy, we want to help you get better. And I think
you want thattoo. Isn't that why your friendsare doing these
horrible things toeach other? And your enemies --look at them. You
used to create grand villains to battle against.And now what is
it? Just ordinary people you went to high school with. Not gods or
monsters. Just three pathetic little men who like to play with
toys.

And OFF BUFFY - her mind reeling with doubts.

FLASH CUT TO:

INT. TRIO'S LAIR - DAY

ON WARREN and ANDREW entering, carrying a couple of packages from
upstairs, sharing a laugh.

WARRENDude, that poison's got her drooling like
a--

WIDEN to find a somewhat miffed Jonathan waiting there expectantly like
a wife who's been waiting up for an errant husband.

JONATHANWhere've you guys been?

Warren and Andrew share a look.

WARRENPicking up some stuff.

ANDREWAnd checking out Buffy on the van's remote surveillance.

WARRENAndrew's demon pet's done some number on the Slayer.
She's tripping like a Ken Russell film festival.

He and Andrew high five as they cross to a computer table, putting down
their packages.

JONATHANWhat kind of stuff?

Warren sits at the computer and calls up a file.

WARRENWhat?

JONATHANThe packages. What's in them?

Andrew and Warren share a look, suppress mocking snickers.

ANDREWWell, now... That's on a need to know basis only.

WARRENYeah. We tell you, we'd have to kill you.

Jonathan looks at them, unnerved and paranoid.

WARREN (cont'd)Oh, what do you think, Spanky?We're
plotting against you?

JONATHANBetter not be.

WARRENIt's just stuff, big man.

SCHEMATICS and BLUEPRINTS appear on the monitor. Warren studies them as
he speaks to Jonathan. Andrew peers at the screen over his shoulder.

WARREN (cont'd) You'll be in the know just as soon as you
stop being all freakozoid.(re: screen)There's the vault...

Warren puts his arm around Jonathan. Making nice like an intimidating
gangster.

WARRENIt's just not safe out there alone. You saw how
close the Slayer got. We're a team. Something happens to you, it
happens to all of us, right? And we wouldn't want that. I know
you're antsy. We all are. But things are about to pick up. Big
time. So we just gotta be careful right now. Stick together.
'Kay?

Warren pats him. A little harder than necessary.

JONATHANYeah... sure.

Jonathan nods, cooperative but stiff. Fully sketched-out now.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Buffy is alone, sitting on the couch. Zoning out on a picture of Hank,
Joyce and herself from way back. Longing.

Then Willow walks in from the dining room.

WILLOWBuffy, good news. I found the demon. Fits your
description and symptoms perfectly. Look, is this it?

She holds a printed-out picture of the demon. It takes Buffy a moment
to focus and look at it. She nods.

WILLOW (cont'd) See? It's gonna be okay. Its pokey stinger
carries an antidote to its own poison.

BUFFYBut it's been so long... Andevery day I try to snap out of
it.To figure out why I'm like that.Well... maybe this is why.

WILLOWNo. Buffy look at me. (she does)You're not in an
institution. You've never been in an institution.

A beat.

BUFFYYes I have.

WILLOWWhat?

Buffy takes a moment. About to confess.

BUFFYBack when I saw my first vampires... I got so scared.
Itold my parents about it. And they freaked out. Figured there
was something seriously wrong with me. They sent me to a
clinic.

Willow listens, bewildered.

WILLOWYou never said anything.

BUFFYI was only there a couple of weeks. I stopped talking
about itso they let me go. And eventually, my parents
just...forgot.

Buffy wipes a tear from her eye. Willow affected by the info.

WILLOWGod. That's horrible.

BUFFY(breaking)What if I never left? What if I'm still in
that clinic?

WILLOWBuffy, you're not. I'm so sorryyou had to go through
that, butit's in the past. You have totrust me. We're gonna get
you that antidote.

Her conviction seems to reassure Buffy. She wants to believe.

WILLOW (cont'd) Xander's already hunting the demon.

BUFFYAlone? Willow, he can't. It'stoo strong.

She tries getting up but Willow eases her back.

WILLOWIt's okay. We got help.

EXT. WOODS - NIGHT

Spike and Xander walk along. Not happy to be sharing company. Xander is
armed with a mace and a tranquilizer gun.

SPIKESo, she's having the wiggings, is she? Thinks none of
us are real? Bloody self-centered if you askme. Not to mention
downright stupid.

Xander rolls his eyes.

XANDERSpike, we need muscle here, not color commentary.

SPIKEOn the other hand, could explain some things. This all
being in that twisted brain of hers. Fix up some chip'n my head,
make me soft so I'd fall in love with her, and then turn me into
her sodden sex slave.

XANDER (cont'd) I, on the other hand, mysteriously keep
falling for them. And Willow. A wicca? I mean, please,I still
remember when magic was just tricks, bunnies and hats. And then
giant lizards at graduation, secret governmentagencies... and what
the hell wasAdam's plan supposed to be anyway, 'cause I still
haven't figured ouaaAAAAHH!!

The demon springs up before them, hissing. Spike jolts, then bitches,
recognizing the demon.

SPIKEOh, balls. You didn't say the thing was a Glarghk
Guhl Kashma'nik.

XANDERThat's 'cause I can't say Glarma --

WHACK! The demon swats Xander back. Spike ducks and comes up punching.
Stunning the demon momentarily. Xander grabs the tranq. gun and fires a
couple of darts into its chest. The demon barely feels them as it lands an
uppercut and sends Spike flying.

Xander swings his mace at it, but the weapon breaks on impact.
WHAM-POW!! The demon knocks him back hard. Spike takes over. They spar for
a moment. Trading blows somewhat evenly. Xander gets another clear shot
from the ground and nails the demon with a couple more tranquilizers.

This time, the demon notices. It turns around to go after him, but
Spike jumps from behind and chokes it. The demon stumbles. Beginning to
feel the tranqs. And after a struggle, it finally falls. The guys catch
their breath.

Then gets up and exits, closing the door gently. Leaving Buffy
devastated. Helpless.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Xander and Spike back the demon into a corner.

XANDERHold it. Hold it...

They've got it chained up and stumbling on tranqs. It trips, dropping
like a tree right on top of Xander.

XANDER (cont'd)PGHLEAHH-UCK!!!!!

Spike jumps on and starts locking it down. It resists, weak. Willow is
there as well. Wearing rubber gloves, gathering a container and a BIG,
METAL FORK.

WILLOWI need its arm.

Xander slips out from underneath. Shook-up.

XANDERThank you, Spike. I'll help as soon as the blitzing
pain subsides.

Spike rolls the demon around and gets on top of it as Willow pins its
arm down.

WILLOWReady?

She strikes down into its forearm with the fork. The demon kicks out
and hits Xander on the shin.

XANDERYI-AWGH!!

ANGLE: ITS KNUCKLES. Its stinger pops out in reaction.

Willow tears it off. The demon groans loud, then passes out. Willow
puts the dripping stinger in the container. Xander's on the floor, rubbing
his shin.

WILLOWXander, go to the magic shop. We'll need Alkanet
Root and a handful of Nettle Leaf.(off his look) Just for
their medicinalproperties. No magic. When yougot them, meet me at
the campus lab. I'll see if I can brew up an antidote the old
fashioned way.

SPIKEI'll hang a bit.(re: demon)Keep an eye on the wax job.

XANDER(standing)Make sure that's all you're
ogglin'.

Spike is ready to get into it, but --

WILLOWFine. Xander, let's go.

INT. BUFFY'S BEDROOM - DAY

The next morning. LOOKING DOWN on Buffy in bed. Not really awake, but
not asleep either. Eyes open, lost. Body twisted awkwardly. Distant like
she was at the asylum at first.

Willow comes in, carrying a steaming mug. Wearing the same clothes. Up
all night working on the antidote.

WILLOWBuffy.

Buffy barely reacts. Willow sits next to her. Pets her leg.

WILLOW (cont'd) Wake up. Got yummy antidote goodness for
you.

It takes a while for Buffy to come back from whatever fog she's in. Her
expression gathers presence. Then the same troubled emotions as before.
She remembers the antidote, sits up.

BUFFYWhat happened?

WILLOWIt took a little longer than I'd hoped. No magic and all.
It went boom twice, but then I got it.

Willow hands her the mug. Buffy cups it in her hands.

WILLOW (cont'd) When it's cooled, drink it all down and
everything should go back to normal. It might take a little while
to kick in, but...

Buffy stares at the mug. Her expression unintelligible.

BUFFYThank you, Will. (then, detached)You never stop
coming through.

Spike walks in.

SPIKEHow is she?

Buffy reacts to him, then spaces out a little.

WILLOWMake sure she drinks that. I want to let Dawn know
everything's going to be okay.

She exits. Spike steps up to Buffy. She senses him and shakes her head.
Fighting to gather focus.

SPIKEYou all right?

But in her haze, Buffy can't find subtlety.

BUFFYYou need to leave me alone.You're not a part of my
life...

Spike's own spite surfaces. Sick and tired.

SPIKEFine, then. But I hope you don't think this
antidote's gonna rid you of that nasty martyrdom. See, I figured
it out, luv. You can't help yourself. You're not drawn to the dark
like I thought. You're addicted to the misery.

Buffy passes away any anger, too tired. No longer caring.

SPIKE (cont'd)It's why you won't tell your pals about us.
Might actually have to be happy if you did. They'd either
understand and help, God forbid, or drive you out where you can
finally be at peace in the dark. With me.(then)Either way
you'd be better off. But you're too twisted for that.

ON BUFFY - staring at Spike. Her eyes seemingly devoid of emotion, but
she's listening. Considering.

SPIKE (O.S.)Let yourself live already. Stop with the
bloody hero trip for a sec. We'll all be the better
forit.

Spike shakes his head. Giving up.

SPIKE'Cause I'm done with it. You either tell your friends
about us... or I will.

And he walks out. Buffy sits there, still dazed, but Spike's threat
definitely having an effect on her. She tries to focus, worried and
pissed, but tired as well.

After a moment, she goes calm, as if Spike's words had helped her
decide something. She looks at the mug of antidote in her hands... then
pours it out into the trash.

FLASH CUT TO:

INT. ASYLUM - CELL - DAY

Buffy is sitting up on her cot. She looks up at the doctor, Joyce and
Hank. Nervous and scared. Tears in her eyes, but for the first time,
completely decisive.

Right where we left off. Joyce, Hank and the doctor looking at Buffy,
filled with excitement at her renewed conviction. But then Buffy gets
light-headed. She feels herself losing presence and reaches out. Joyce
grabs her hand.

BUFFYMom... please, help me. I wanna go home. With dad and
you.

JOYCEI know, honey. But you have to get better first.

DOCTORIt's not gonna be easy, Buffy.You have to take it one
step at atime.

Joyce strokes Buffy's hair, reassuring.

DOCTOR (cont'd)You have to start ridding yourmind of the
things that support your hallucinations. You understand? There's
things inthat world that you cling to. For your delusion they're
safeholds, but for your mind, they're traps. We have to break
those down.

Buffy grows thoughtful, trying.

BUFFYSlaying?

DOCTORYes, but... isn't that almost a burden? A
responsibility?

Buffy responds to the doctor's understanding of her psyche.

DOCTOR (cont'd)No, by safeholds, I'm talking about the
things you want there, Buffy. What keeps you going
back.

A beat. Then Buffy realizes.

BUFFYMy friends.

The doctor nods.

DOCTORThat's right. Last summer, when you had a momentary
awakening, it was them that pulled you back in.

She says it with disarming sincerity. Heartfelt. Buffy nods, touched
but troubled.

BUFFYThanks.

WILLOW(anxious to help) I can make you some food.Something
big with energy to help clear your noggin. C'mon.

She grabs her by the arm and leads her back to the kitchen.

TIME CUT:

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - FOYER - DAY

Xander knocks and comes in from outside.

XANDERHello? I'm back. Clean and with the better smell
now.

Nobody answers.

XANDER (cont'd) Friends? Anyone?

He heads to the

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

He finds Buffy cleaning pots at the sink.

XANDERHey there, sane girl.

Buffy starts, but barely looks up. Xander lingers. Uncertain.

XANDER (cont'd)So. Willow get that antidote to you
alright? Buffy?

Buffy focuses. Distant.

BUFFYUm... yeah. I'm better now.

XANDER(relieved)Great. Then it's settled, we're real.
Right? Guess we'll have to finish off that demon and drag it out
of the basement and tell me you're up for that. I so don't wanna
see Spike right now. Talk about losing touch. I hate to say it,
but I almost worry about him.Almost. The things the poor guy was
saying...

Buffy turns to face him with momentary concern.

XANDER (cont'd)I mean, I get it. Been part ofthe Buffy
obsession. But he's long past the days of pining.(then, grossed
out)Now it's like he's convinced he's having sex with you
or--

WHAM! Buffy springs up and grabs Xander in a choke-hold. Out of
nowhere. Xander is losing breath before he even knows what happened.

XANDER (cont'd)Bu...?!

He stumbles, banging against the wall, carrying Buffy on his back.
Grabbing at her, trying to fight her off.

XANDER (cont'd) What are you... gkh... ah!!

Buffy stays on him, desperately trying to get this over with.

They crash to the floor. Xander losing strength. Buffy gets off and
drags him up. Leading him toward the basement door.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - BASEMENT - DAY

Buffy brings Xander halfway down the stairs and shoves him the rest of
the way. He stumbles and lands hard, banging his head on the floor. He
rolls on his back, losing conscience, and as the lights go out he sees...

Willow. Lying facing him. Bound and gagged, her eyes wide with panic.

XANDERWillow? What...

And he's out.

From the stairs, Buffy looks at them through a mental fog. Emotions no
longer getting through. Sweaty from the struggle. Eerie.

She flips Xander, kneels on his back and starts tying him up. Willow
moans in desperate protest through her gag.

The noise wakes the demon up. It puts out a growl. Still chained, but
quickly coming back from the tranqs.

She stops when Buffy turns away abruptly. As if something in Sunnydale
had jolted her. Her eyes fog up again, distressed. She backs up against
the wall and starts sliding down...

FLASH CUT TO:

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - BASEMENT - DAY

... to the floor by the washer and dryer.

XANDERBuffy! HELP!!

Xander scrambles to get up and the demon piledrives him down. Then it
turns, catching sight of Willow and Dawn. It moves in on them just as

Tara bursts in. She runs halfway down the stairs and takes the scene
in. Willow and Dawn tied up.

TARA(Latin)Eximete!!!

TARA(English)Release!!!

Their ropes come loose. The demon swipes, but Willow and Dawn scurry
away just in time. The demon turns at Tara.

TARA(Latin)Vis Zenobiae!
Solvere!

TARA(English)Might of
Zenobia! Unleash!

A bank of shelves flies off the wall and pummels the demon over. Tara
takes a step down but suddenly

Buffy reaches in from next to the stairs and pulls her feet out from
under. Tara crashes and rolls down painfully.

WILLOWNO!! Tara!

Willow rushes to her side. A tinge of guilt-filled terror hits Buffy
despite her efforts to remain detached. She backs away to the wall and
down against the floor again. Starting to shake, trying to escape into...